It is well known that papilloma viruses infect the epithelial tissue of humans and animals. Human papilloma viruses (referred to as HP viruses below) are found in benign, e.g., warts, condylomata in the genital region, and malign, e.g., carcinomas of the skin and uterus, epithelial neoplasms. Zur Hausen, 1989, Cancer Research 49:4677-4681. HP viruses are also considered for the development of malign tumors of the respiratory tract. Zur Hausen, 1976, Cancer Research 36:530. In addition, HP viruses are considered at least co-responsible for the development of squamous carcinomas of the lungs. Syrjanen, 1980, Lung 158:131-142.
Papilloma viruses have an icosahedral capsid without coat, which includes a circular, double-stranded DNA molecule of about 7,900 bp. The capsid comprises a major capsid protein (L1) and a minor capsid protein (L2). Both proteins, coexpressed or L1 expressed alone, result in vitro to the development of virus-like particles. Kirnbauer et al., 1993, Journal of Virology 67:6929-6936.
Papilloma viruses cannot be proliferated in monolayer cell culture. Therefore, their characterization is extremely difficult, the detection of papilloma viruses already creating considerable problems. This applies particularly to papilloma viruses in carcinomas of the skin. A reliable detection thereof and thus well-calculated steps thereagainst have not been possible by now.
Therefore, it is the object of the present invention to provide an agent serving for detecting papilloma viruses, particularly in carcinomas of the skin. Furthermore, an agent is to be provided which serves for taking therapeutic steps against these papilloma viruses.
According to the inventions this is achieved by the provision of the subject matters in the claims.